As modernization approaches, engineering has been more useful than ever in creating impressive and jaw-dropping innovations and not just in buildings and construction. This list covers some of the most impressive engineering projects undertaken by recent humankind and the ones that went through immense issues and obstacles to become what they are. Engineering Marvels are also chosen based on the scale and ambition of the project to serve its purpose against all odds.
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Engineering Marvels of the World
Have a look on the top Engineering Marvels of the world.
1. Millau Viaduct (Millau, France)
The Millau Viaduct is the tallest cable-suspended road bridge in the world and it spans across the valley of the River Tarn near Millau in southern France. The highest tower of the bridge rises to 1,125 feet, making it the tallest in the world, surpassing even the Eiffel Tower (986 feet). And they are almost as tall as the Empire State Building (1,250 feet).
Opened in December 2004, the bridge was constructed to lighten heavy traffic from Paris to Barcelona during the holidays. It was developed by French engineer Michel Virlogeux and British designer Norman Foster and completed in just 3 years.
With scenic views of mountains and green landscape on either side, this bridge is worth a visit when in France.
2. The Venice Tide Barrier Project (Venice, Italy)
The Venice Tide Barrier Project was undertaken to keep the canal city of Venice from sinking further and protecting it from floods. This mega project consists of 78 rotating gates and designed to keep the sea water out during storms or tides. The project is known as Mose and is one of the biggest civil engineering feats in the world costing around $6.5 billion. The project was entangled in scandal and lack of funding, but is expected to finish by 2022. It is still the largest flood prevention project in the world, taking over several huge dams.
Also read: Most Visited Countries in the World
3. The National Stadium (Beijing, China)
China is the home to several Engineering Marvels and few of them also make their way to our list of best Engineering Marvels of the world. Officially the National Stadium and unofficially the “Bird’s Nest” was designed and built especially for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. With the iconic nest-like outer-shell made of steel, the sheer weight of the structure was a key issue for the construction team but the fact that it held up proves this to be an engineering marvel and the largest steel structure in the world. The 2022 Summer Olympics and Paralympics are scheduled to be held here. The stadium is built of about 26 miles of unwrapped steel and an outer steel frame weighing a massive 42,000 tons. Despite its size, it is one of the most energy-efficient stadiums in the world with geothermal power and rainwater irrigation systems.
4. The Bailong Elevator (Zhangjiajie, China)
This unusual elevator hangs on to the side of a tall cliff in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park at 1070 feet of height. The Bailong Elevator is the highest and heaviest outdoor elevator in the world, also known as the Hundred Dragons Elevator. The double-story ride in this massive glass elevator takes around two minutes from the base to the top with a capacity of 50 people for each trip. 18000 people ride these elevators every day, therefore there are three of them there.
5. Palm Islands (Dubai)
Making the world’s largest artificial islands is not small project and the builders are just getting started. Palm Jumeirah is the first of the three islands that form the Palm Islands. These islands are formed by extending the sand on the seabed and spraying sand on the rising islands. It will add around 520 km of private beaches to Dubai’s shoreline. Each island is in the shape of a palm tree, thus giving it the name. The Palm Jumeirah Monorail connects the islands to the mainland at the Atlantis Hotel. The Palm Jumeirah and the Palm Jebel Ali island properties have been completed while the third and largest of the islands, the Palm Deira, is under construction. Looking at over 10000 residents, the islands will be be host to several high-end residential properties, shopping malls and sports facilities.
6. The Large Hadron Collider (Geneva, Switzerland)
Developed by the European scientific research organization CERN in Geneva, the LHC has played an important role in scientific exploration in the past decade including discovery of several subatomic particles. This equipment/tunnel lies under the ground in a 574-foot long tunnel having a circumference of 17 miles. In practice, LHC directs two beams of sub-atomic particles called hadrons that travel at high speeds and then collide, giving out new unknown particles for scientists to study. LHC was introduced in 2008 to answer many questions of quantum science and the formation of universe and it has also helped in developing revolutionary technologies in various fields. Access to the lab and CERN is limited to invited visitors and employees working there.
7. Three Gorges Dam (Sandouping, Hubei, China)
The Three Gorges Dam is China’s biggest construction project sine the Great Wall itself, and ha resulted into the largest concrete structure in the world. The dam is 600 feet in width and 400 miles long, generating electricity equal to 18 nuclear power plants on the Yangtze River. This makes it the largest hydroelectric power station in the world. It also serves as a flood barrier for the nearby district, despite creating numerous ecological problems like landslides and flooding archeological sites since its opening in 2008.
8. Channel Tunnel
The Chunnel or the Channel Tunnel is a 32-mile-long underwater rail tunnel is a joint venture between two countries, linking Folkstone, England and Coquelles, France going beneath the English Channel. It was completed and opened in 1994. It was recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The train running through the tunnel, carrying passengers and cars, takes only 20 minutes for each trip of 23.5 miles in length. Over 7 million people utilize this service, which goes both ways simultaneously. Because of the complexity of the project, creating the longest underwater and underground railway tunnel and going through the English Channel, and the utility it provides to the people, this tunnel is truly an engineering marvel.
9. Chandra X-ray Observatory, Space
The Chandra Observatory is a satellite launched by NASA, that allows scientists to obtain images from unexplored regions of the universe. Earth based telescopes cannot detect many X-ray sourced objects in space, and thus the Chandra plays a vital rile in space exploration. Recently, the Chandra was used to capture the first ever image of a blackhole. Named after the Nobel Prize winner physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, The Chandra is one of the 4 “Great Observatories” launched by NASA. it is the largest launched satellite at 45 feet long and the most powerful X-ray to date.
10. The New Valley Project (Western Desert of Egypt, Sahara Desert)
The New Valley Project or the Toshka Project is a massive irrigation system to replenish 500,000 acres of desert back to fertility and is one of the most ambitious projects in Egypt. It was named one of the most outstanding civil engineering achievements of the year in a group of 5 by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The canal will cover a distance of 310 km across the salty sands of the desert. The intent is to create another Nile River valley to help irrigate where the rivers cannot reach by pumping water from Lake Nasser from a canal system through the valley into the desert to make it usable for agriculture. Along with providing farming opportunities, this project will employ 3 million people and make the areas useful to civilization. As of now, the project is incomplete.
Budget and geographical problems have affected each and every project on the list and some are not yet complete. But the progress they have shown, given the ambitious scale, is impressive, even to undertake and begin such a risky project.
I hope you liked our list of top Engineering Marvels of the world. If you have anything to say, you can use our comments section or contact us.
